Preventing Adversary Influence, Disinformation, and Obscured Foreign Financing Act of 2025; PAID OFF Act of 2025
Summary
The "Preventing Adversary Influence, Disinformation, and Obscured Foreign Financing Act of 2025" (PAID OFF Act) amends the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938 (FARA). It aims to limit exemptions for agents of foreign principals that are corporate or government entities owned or controlled by countries of concern. The bill also establishes a mechanism for the Secretary of State to modify the definition of "country of concern," subject to congressional approval via a joint resolution.
Expected Effects
The PAID OFF Act will likely increase scrutiny and regulation of foreign influence activities in the United States, particularly those originating from countries deemed adversaries. This could lead to greater transparency in foreign lobbying and public relations efforts. The amendments made by this section will terminate 5 years after enactment.
Potential Benefits
- Increased transparency in foreign influence activities.
- Reduced ability of adversarial nations to exert hidden influence.
- Strengthened national security by limiting foreign interference.
- Improved public awareness of foreign government-backed campaigns.
- Provides a mechanism for updating the list of "countries of concern" to reflect current threats.
Most Benefited Areas:
Potential Disadvantages
- Potential for increased bureaucratic burden on legitimate foreign agents.
- Risk of chilling legitimate international collaborations and exchanges.
- Possible retaliatory measures from countries affected by the legislation.
- The sunset clause introduces uncertainty and requires future congressional action.
- Definition of 'control' could be ambiguous and lead to selective enforcement.
Constitutional Alignment
The bill aligns with the US Constitution by addressing potential threats to national security and ensuring transparency in foreign relations. Congress's role in approving changes to the list of "countries of concern" upholds the principle of legislative oversight as outlined in Article I, Section 8, which grants Congress the power to regulate commerce with foreign nations and provide for the common defense. The First Amendment implications regarding freedom of speech and association are potentially implicated, requiring careful balancing to avoid undue restrictions on legitimate expression.
Impact Assessment: Things You Care About ⓘ
This action has been evaluated across 19 key areas that matter to you. Scores range from 1 (highly disadvantageous) to 5 (highly beneficial).